Armchair key switches



May 22, 1962 M. FELTEN ARMCHAIR KEY SWITCHES Filed Jan. 24, 1961INVENTOR.

Major F e/fen "1 T United States Patent 3,036,183 ARMCHAIR KEY SWITCHESMajor Felten, Galesteo, N. Mex.

(P.O. Box 2233, Santa Fe, N. Mex.) Filed Jan. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 84,6184 Claims. (Cl. 200-159) This invention relates to manually operatedelectric switches and more particularly to a slide operated switchhaving characteristics which especially suit it for armchair use for themuting of loudspeakers.

A switch for armchair use must be capable of operation by a force soslight it will not be displaced from the chair arm. It must be capableof operation by one hand of the user. It should be economical in cost,rugged in construction and foolproof in operation.

The improved switch of the present invention fulfills the foregoingrequirements in a manner described in the following description readwith reference to the accompanying drawing made a part of thisspecification and in which FIGURE 1 is an isometric view partly insection.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view on section 22 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view on section 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view on section 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 shows an alternative embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURE 1, the switch comprises a body element11 and an operator element 13. Both the body element and the operatorelement are preferably formed of insulation material such as, forexample, wood, rubber or synthetic plastic. Stationary body element 11is an elongated hollow member having a gently convex upper configurationinclined downwardly from front to rear in a generally streamlinedfashion. The lateral walls also taper from front to rear. The bottomedge of the opposed side walls and end walls of the body may lie on acommon plane at the bottom to provide a generally fiat surface forresting on an armchair. The lateral exterior surfaces of the switch bodyare provided with elongated recesses 12. The foregoing described shapeis such as to permit the palm of the hand to straddle the switch bodywith the thumb on one side resting in the flute and the remainingfingers other than the forefinger resting in the flute on the other sideof the housing, thereby grasping the switch.

The movable operator element 13, hereinafter termed key, is the switchactuating handle. This member open circuits the switch by a firstdownward and then a forward motion. To this end a recess 14 is providedin which the forefinger rests. The grasping of the stationary bodyelement 11 by one hand with the index finger resting in the key recess14 of movable operator element 13 enables the user to operate the switchin a completely comfortable and convenient manner with the forearm andhand in reclined position as on the arm of an armchair.

Stationary body element 11 is provided with an elongated channel ofrectangular cross section which extends through the body from top tobottom except at the ends. At the rear or tail end a bridge 15 joins thechannel walls and at the front end a solid nose portion 17 of the body13 is provided.

Key 13 has a loose or clearance fit in the body element 11 channel inorder that it can be moved within the body element to close or open theswitch contacts in a frictionless manner.

Key 13 is provided with a substantially flat bottom surface and anarcuate upper surface similar in configuration to the top surface ofbody element 11.

Referring to FIGURE 2 it is seen to be provided with a horizontalcross-wise elongated slot 19 proximate its rearward end to pivot on andtranslate forward and aft on pivot pin 21 best seen in FIGURE 4. Pin 21is supported with a snug fit in cross-wise bore or socket 23 in bodyelement 11.

When key 13 is nested in the body element 13 channel, and pin 21 is inplace, the operator element is free to rotate about pin 21 in a limitedarc and also free to move back and forth due to the provision of slot11.

The underside of the forward end of operator element 13 is relieved instep fashion to provide lip 25. Lip 25 cooperates with upper surface 27of body nose 17 to stop the downward motion and to provide a guide forforward sliding motion key 13 when urged downward and forward by theforefinger of the user.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is seen that the inner surface of noseportion 17 of the stationary body is provided with two stepped surfaces29 and 31. A flat electrical contact element 33 is supported against theunderside of the first step 29 which is the one proximate the forwardend of the stationary body portion 11 channel. The flat contact may besupported in any convenient manner and in the embodiment shown, seeparticularly FIGURE 3, it is integral with a depending metallic strap 35which fits in a recess 37 in the side wall of the relieved nose portion.A horizontal extension 41 of the depending strap is nested in a relievedportion of the base of the nose portion and secures the entire contactmember as by screw or screws 39. The horizontal extension or tab 41provides a terminal for the switch contact element 33.

The other switch contact element 43 is afiixed to the bottom surface ofkey 13 by an elongated extension portion 45. An offset portion 47 isprovided preferably integral with contact portion 43 and extension. 45of a length such that when the operator element 11 is depressed thecontact element 43 lies in a plane slightly below the second step 31 ofnose 17. This clearance permits the operator to be moved forward so thatcontact element 43 will rest and be retained under insulator ledge 31-to maintain the switch in ofi position.

When key 13 is moved backward to the limit permitted by slot 19, contactelement 43 clears ledge 31 and is free to rise and contact stationarycontact element 33 thereby olosing the switch.

It is necessary in a switch for the purpose herein intended that it havean easy action. The users finger depresses the key 13 and resilientmeans of gentle action must be provided to cause the key to be urged inan upward direction. To this end cantilever blade spring 51 is provided.Spring 51 is anchored in a recess 53 (see FIGURES 2 and 5) in the tailend of stationary body portion 11. It has an inherent upward curveending in the front end in a downturned anti-friction bent portion 55.The upper surface of bent portion 55 makes electrical contact at alltimes with the extension portion 45 of contact element 43. A conductinglead 57 is electrically connected to spring 51. A second conducting lead59 is connected to stationary contact terminal 41 and the two leads passout of the switch body through a bore or perforation 61 for the purposeprovided preferably in nose portion 17.

The bottom of the switch assembly is closed by a sheet or plate ofinsulating material 63 which is glued in place.

The bottom surface of the switch stationary body 11 is shown to be flatin the embodiment described but bearing in mind that a primary purposeof the switch requires that it be utilized on an armchair arm, itobviously can be contoured when the occasion demands to more closely fita curved or rounded upper surface of an armchair arm.

It is also contemplated that the switch body and key tionless freedom ofmotion with respect to pivoting and forward and rearward motion. Thekey1'3 is provided witha reduced tail portion 69 of generally uniformcross section to fit in socket 67. In this embodiment the switch contact43 is left in a depending direction'until after'the key is positioned inbody portion 11. The contact 43 is then bent forwardly to provide thecontact element and also to secure the key within body portion 11. Inthis embodiment, the slot 19, pivot pin 21, and cross-wise socket 23 ofthe first embodiment described are not necessarry.

It is therefore seen that there has been provided by this invention anelectrical switch particularly adapted for easy and convenient operationon an armchair by the inclined arm and hand. Obviously, it mayprofitably be used as a push button switch in other situations whereapush button switch not anchored down may be easily operated by one handas adjacent a telephone, for example.

Because many possible embodiments rnay be made of the above inventionand as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, itis to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth as shown inthe accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical switch comprising an elongated housing of insulationmaterial, and an elongated switch operating bar key of insulationmaterial, said housing having spaced elongated side walls joined at afront end by a nose portion and at the other end by a tail portion, saidkey having a width which provides a clearance fit in the space betweenthe side walls and having aforward end and a rearward end, said forwardend being relieved on itsunderside, means pivotably. and slidinglyaffixing the key rearward end to the housing tail portion, said keyhaving a length such that when it is so affixed to the body portion thekey portion over the relief in the front end is in a superposed positionover the body nose-portion upper surface, first and second steppeddepending ledge portions on the underside of the upper wall of the bodynose portion, said second ledge depending a greater distance than thefirst ledge, a first electrical contact element afiixed to the bottomsurface of the first ledge, a second electrical contact element havingan elongated portion, a depending portion and a forward extendingportion, and having the elongated portion atfixed to the underside ofthe key and said forward extending portion being coextensive with thekey front end relief, resilient spring means urging said key upward,whereby when the key is in rearward position, the contacts are connectedand when the key is depressed and moved forwardly, the

second contact rests against the nose portion second ledge therebymaintaining the contacts in unconnected reiation.

2. The switch of claim 1 in which the body portion and key element taperdown laterally and vertically from nose portion to rear portion, saidbody portion being 7 provided with a lengthwise elongated fiute on eachlateral wall, and a recess in the key forward end top surface wherebysaid switch may be grasped by the reclined hand with the forefinger inthe key recess to thereby manually select an off or on electricalcondition for said switch.

3. The switch of claim 1 wherein the means for pivotably and slidinglyaffixing the keyrearward end to the housing tail portion is a journalpin affixed crosswise in said housing and a-journal-pin cooperating slotin the key rearward end portion.

4. The switch of claim 1 wherein the means for pivotably and slidinglyafiixing the key rearward end to the housing tail portion isa socket inthe housing tail portion provided by the housing rear end floor, lateralwalls, and a forward extending wall over the housing rear end fioor, andsaid key rearward portion having a clearance fit in said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSVerkuil Sept. 4, 1956

